When you're always on the lookout for surf groups, it helps to have a good gut feeling for them based on the name of the band and album, maybe even the songs. That's true for both the new stuff and the vintage stuff. The Baltic Side would have failed that test: The band name doesn't sound surf, "Hope" isn't really something I associate with surf, neither are song titles like "Believe", "Pilgrim", and "Rainbow". Nothing wrong with those names, they just don't register as a blip on my surf radar.

Well let's be honest, the names of your songs aren't terribly important in surf music, so I can't really blame Surf Out! for their lazy naming schemes. This EP starts with a fiery one out the gate, then chills out for the rest. Some of them build to a frenzy, some of them continue to take it easy. It's a pay-what-you-want album, so give it a shot.

I love Jean Claude Van Damme, so I want to thank Timecop Beach Party for linking him to the surf world via his movie Timecop. But putting the King of Kicking aside, this album came outta nowhere and surprised me. Timecop Beach Party play fast and their tone often dips into pretty heavy territory, but the overall mood is fun and light-hearted. I really think it all comes together especially well in their song "Set Phasers to Chill". Give it a listen for yourself 

Throughout his work in Stef & Arno, Antena Tres, The Irradiates, and Arno De Cea & The Clockwork Wizards, Arno de Cea has proven himself to be one one hell of a psycho, frantic, and all around excellent guitar player. At some point calling it "surf rock" sounds too leisurely, not desperate enough, no matter how big the imaginary wave. From the very first note of "Bug Terminal" it's loud, huge, bold, and so hyperactive that I struggle to come up with some sort of activity that this would be suitable for. Catastrophe rock? Apocalypse rock?

Beertubes are one of the few (if only?) surf groups representing Indonesia, and they do it with burlap sacks or a red cloth covering their head. I don't know. They've got a pretty trad sound played with gusto and a few sound clips interspersed. This is a warmup as they get an LP ready before the end of this year

It's streaming on bandcamp or if you'd like one shipped to you, check out their facebook page

Not using google translate on this one: I think the name means secret beekeepers. This LP is loud, fun, and playful. It's got 3 vocal tracks, sure, but it's also got about 3 theremin tracks and one kazoo track (perhaps meant to simulate bees?). Give it a spin on bandcamp!

The Out of Limits descend pretty clearly from the Man... or Astro-man? lineage of surf with zonked out effects, vintage sci-fi sound clips and, most importantly, mind-enhancing scientific headgear. They also have a healthy chunk of that raw energy. Even for a demo, this is loud, frantic, big, and fun stuff. It's pay-what-you-want, so watch the video and give it a download.

The Surf Mist make their debut with this 4 song EP. Their sound has trad beginnings, but with small moments of surprsingly tricky jazzy/progressive sounds. Fun and sunny release throughout.

USF are often trying to think outside the box. Last year's Penguin Vs. Robot was an interesting release strategy (4 song vinyl EP with 4 extra songs included as a download). This idea isn't necessarily new, or even their own entirely, but one that I haven't seen others do. In homage to the Play Guitar WIth the Ventures albums, they've made an EP that has two songs: Livorno Twist (a tribute to Surfer Joe festival!) and Calafuria Nights. Then it has versions without the guitar, and includes tabs with the download.

If you listen to Storm Surge of Reverb regularly, you might have picked up how much I love the Peruvian take on surf. Bands like Los Belking's, Los Holy's and Los Jaguar's had a truly unique mix of surf rock, psychedelic music and cumbia that come together into something I have heard since from anywhere else in the world.